Dr Slade Lee

Biography

Dr Lee is Centre Manager of QUT's Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities (CTCB).
In this role he provides management of the broad range scientific research and consultancy projects at CTCB and assists the University to facilitate the development, protection, application and commercialisation of his Centre's substantial suite of expertise, technology and intellectual property in:

• plant genetics


• biotechnology


• molecular genetics.

Background
Dr Slade Lee has:

• more than 25 years experience as a plant breeder and plant genetics research scientist


• more than 15 years in the use of molecular methods for plant genotyping and as a tool in plant breeding.

He has extensive experience:

• across a broad range of plant taxa from trees to herbaceous species involved in agriculture.


• in biological research management and supervision.

Previously, he was:

• Deputy Director (Operations) at the Centre for Plant Conservation Genetics at Southern Cross University


• one of the three Platform Leaders for the Grain Foods CRC Ltd.

In 2000, Dr Lee was invited to serve as a molecular plant breeding expert with the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, assisting in the management of projects which convey agricultural biotechnology to developing countries.
Prior to that he was project leader of the genetic research on Tea Tree and the projects on Table and Wine Grape Genetics at Southern Cross University.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Dr Lee led the citrus breeding program of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
As Senior Scientist, he managed collaborative projects with:

• CSIRO and other State Agriculture Departments


• research associations with colleagues in USA and other countries.

During this period he built his laboratory at Bundaberg Research Station into a well–equipped and staffed facility for utilising biotechnology in plant breeding.